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PHIL120 EASTERN AND WESTERN PHILOSOPHY / Spring 2004Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Bo Mou Time & Place: Monday & Wednesday: 15:00 � 16:15; SH238 Office Hours:
(1) Regular Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 18:30 � 19:30. (2)
If you are unable to make these times, we can schedule a time that is convenient
for you. (3) Extra office hours will be arranged before each of midterm and
final exams. Office: FO 225 Phone: (408) 924-4513 E-mail: bmou@email.sjsu.edu Website:
http://cfds.sjsu.edu/professors/bo_mou/ Required Textbooks: � Course Reader [CR]. �
Daniel Bonevac: Worldly Wisdom (Mayfield, 2001) [WW]. Course
Description: This upper division course presents a comparative
examination of Eastern philosophy (including the Yi-Jing philosophy,
Confucianism, philosophical Daoism, Buddhist thought) and Western philosophy
(including Greek philosophy, contemporary Western philosophy, etc.) around some
perennial issues and concerns, investigating how they could jointly contribute
to the common philosophical enterprise in some complementary and philosophically
interesting ways. In the Spring
2004 class, we focus on the issue of philosophical methodology and some central
issues and concerns in epistemology. The emphasis is on how those thinkers under
discussion from the distinct traditions and from distinct strands within one
tradition could jointly contribute to our understanding and approach to those
issues concerns in some philosophically interesting ways. The course has three objectives: (1) to develop the
capacity to think critically, to look at things in a broad and dynamic way, and
to apply philosophical methods to deal with some philosophically important
issues and intellectual problems; (2) to appreciate how distinct views and
insights from different philosophical traditions can make joint contribution to
dealing with some philosophically important issues and concerns; (3) to develop
the ability to enter and appreciate ways of thinking and perspectives that may
be quite different from what students have already had. Prerequisite: 3 units of philosophy or upper
division standing. Instruction Format: Lecture
and class discussion. Course Requirements:
Regular attendance, timely and
careful completion of reading-assignments prior to their lecture or discussion
in class, earnest fulfillment of written assignments, and active participation
in discussion are expected for the effective learning process. (1) Class participation: 15% (2) First Midterm Exam: 15% (3/3) (3) Second Midterm Exam: 20% (4/26) (4) Term Paper: 25% (due 5/17) (5) Final Exam: 25% (5/25) Class Participation (1) Attending scheduled classes regularly (two bonus points will be given for perfect attendance; one bonus point will be given for only-one-class-missing attendance). (2) Being active in class discussions. Exam Two midterm exams will combine multiple choice, short answer questions
and essay questions; the instructor will supply a study guide a week before each
of the midterm exams. Final exam is taken in the form of take-home exam, due on
May 25 by noontime. Term Paper This is the main philosophical writing of each student. A
number of due paper topics will be assigned as the semester proceeds; you can
choose any one of them. 6-8 typewritten, double-spaced pages with 1 inch margin
and font size 12 (about 250 words each page), due in hard copy on the last class
meeting (5/17). Late or Missed Assignments Assignments that are one class
session late will be demoted 5% of their points; those that are later will
receive a 10% cut. Exceptions are made if you have a doctor�s note or if you
have been given a prior extension. Students who miss a mid-term will need a
serious excuse (e.g., a doctor�s note) and to schedule a make-up exam. Academic Dishonesty Plagiarism is wrong. Never turn in another person�s work as your own and never present material taken directly from a book, journal or the Internet without putting quote marks around it and giving an endnote crediting the author. TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
Phil120 / Spring 2004
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